2019-20 Premier League: Week 36 – Everton vs Aston Villa

Everton look to build momentum ahead of next season as they welcome relegation battling Aston Villa to Goodison Park.

A win for Everton will see them close in to within two points of tenth-placed Burnley, whilst Villa can move above Bournemouth into the final relegation spot and a point from safety. 

 

Team News

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Mason Holgate and Andre Gomes could both return for Everton if pass late fitness tests on respective knock and ankle injury. 

Yerry Mina, Fabian Delph (both muscle), Cenk Tosun (knee) and Jean-Philippe Gbamin (Achilles) remain absent.

Villa will be without Neil Taylor due to a thigh injury whilst Kortney Hause also misses out with a rib injury. 

Danny Drinkwater (knock), Bjorn Engels (Achilles), Tom Heaton and Wesley (both knee) are absent. 

 

Stat Attack

• This is Everton’s 50th Premier League meeting against Aston Villa (W13, D17, L19)
• Everton are unbeaten in three of their last five meetings against Aston Villa (W3, L2).
• Villa are winless in their last eight trips to Goodison Park in all competitions (D4, L4). 
• Everton have scored all three of their Premier League penalties against Villa, who have missed one of their two penalties against the Toffees. 
• Just one of Villa’s 38 league goals this season has come from the penalty spot, courtesy of Anwar El Ghazi. 

 

Prediction

Everton simply have to turn up and deliver a solid performance at the bare minimum after Sunday’s shambles at Wolves, because they were brutally outplayed in all areas with little desire to get anything decent out of the match. 

Villa meanwhile were clinical and lucky in their win over Crystal Palace, but will need to once again produce a similar performance if want to put pressure on West Ham and Watford who meet on Friday in the battle for survival. 

I therefore can see a scrappy game because Everton have questions to answer, whilst Villa know that defeat could be devastating for their survival hopes but if the Toffees come out fighting then I can see just one winner. 

Prediction: Everton 2-0 Aston Villa

Result: Everton 1-1 Aston Villa